Out & About: Minneapolis South/Apple Valley

#6 posting 3.4.2006

Minneapolis South 84, Apple Valley 72

The Tigers remain undefeated as they exploded for 54 second half points.

Apple Valley worked their plan to success in the first half as they took the early lead on a basket by Cassie Hubler on their first possession. AV led 4-0 before Tayler Hill found the bottom of the net. That started a 12-6 South run and a 12-10 lead. It was to be their only lead in the first half. AV started their own 17-3 run with Christina Steele post up. Caitlin Ries broke out with 8 points during this seven minute stretch, she only scored two more the rest of the night. Steele was dominating the paint as the bigger Steele was defended from behind. After that South took off on a 15-6 run to end the half. Leading the charge was the unflappable Tayler Hill. She drained two 3s and knocked down 13 points on the run. AV had a 0/5 drought that did not help their cause. AV led at half 33-30, but the momentum was already shifting. South made 12 free throws and that meant AV was getting involved in fouls and having to use their bench.

South ended the first half with a 5/6 run and opened the second half with a 7/8 run. Put that together and it turns out to be 12/14 possession string and a 26-5 run. The second half splurge was a team effort as four of the Southerners scored. Awakening from her slumber was Ephesia Holmes. She managed to score 2 in the first half, but erupted for 20 in the second half. During this time AV was 2/13. South's biggest lead came at 50-36 on another Tayler Hill 3. At that point AV regained their first half form and put together a 18-7 run to make it 57-54. Cassie Hubler had 9 points, all on 3s and Steele had 7. During this period with the score 57-52 there was a loose ball situation on the AV end. Candice Butler had possession and called time out for South. Then something happened because Butler was slapped with a technical. Speculation was that she said something inappropriate, but I didn't see or hear. South was not hurt by the situation as Deidre Dirth missed both free throws and Hubler threw a bad pass. After that episode it was South's turn to ride the wave with an 18-6 run to make it 75-60 with 4:51 left. Holmes had 9 during this time and so did her running mate Hill. As the clock ticked down AV's Steele and Hubler were adding 10 points, but the rest of the team was not connecting. AV had two players foul out. Hubler made a three from the top of the circle to close the scoring at 84-72.

The pace of the second half was frentic with 46 possessions by South about a 11.9 second possession rate for each team. That is the pace South enjoys. AV does have some speed and quickness, but they needed to get the possessions down more in line with 66. Working the ball in the paint was successful and Hubler with her 6 second half 3s kept AV in the game. But South's poise and confidence even when things weren't going their way did not waver.

Height Matters: AV 5-9.2, MS 5-8.4
Department of defense: South likes the 2/3. AV started man, but then used a variety of zones like 2/3, 3/2, 1/2/2. South slaps the press and it squeezes

player, points, possessions, pp100, floor %
Minneapolis South Player Evaluations
Starters
Tayler Hill 36, 26, 138.5, .654 smooth, poised, leader, great anticipator, money shooter. was caught in some situations not to her liking today. Deep range on 3. speed, body control, blocked shots of Steele's. her confidence rubs off on the rest of her team. sees floor and understands where everyone is. no wasted motion. can run point if needed. RF: there are some players that are suprised when they make a shot. She is one where we are suprised when she misses. can even be better. That is not good news for the rest of the teams in the state.
Ephesia Holmes 22, 16, 137.5, .625 Barkleyesque body with maybe not the same control as Hill, but it is pretty good. can shoot out, can penetrate. RF: consistency in scoring. favors right hand in pressure.
Hannah Cheese 10, 5, 200.0, 1.000 tough inside player. undersized, but great leaper, good position. and just like against Breck scores on the end of her possession every time. underrated. RF: undersized post HS
Kiswana McCloud 9, 8, 112.5, .625 the other inside presence. does her roll nicely. RF: foul problems.
Candice Butler 6, 15, 40.0, .267 again a wow passer. competitive. RF: favors the right hand in tight situations. not a shooter, or scorer for that matter. Needs to watch the mouth for technicals
Bench
Hillary Rogers 0, 2, 0.0, .000
Nora Erickson 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Gabrielle Roberts 1, 4, 25.0, .250

Apple Valley Player Evaluations
Starters
Cassie Hubler 24, 18, 133.3, .500 made her 6 3s mainly from the left side/corner. Great touch. when pressure was on drained. RF: needs to add the drive to her reportoire, passing decisions, ball handling questionable.
Christina Steele 28, 22, 127.3, .636 no one could defend her in the blocks. strong body, good boarder. RF: seemed to get tired late in the game, maybe due to pace.
Caitlin Ries 10, 16, 62.5, .313 under quite a bit of pressure all day and handled ball fine.
Lauren Habisch 6, 9, 66.7, .333 RF: foul issues
Deidre Dirth 3, 12, 25.0, .083 strong upper body, RF: shooting consistency. I have seen her drop 3s in other games, but her range was just off today.
Bench
Shannon Thompson 1, 1, 100.0, 1.000
Kale Johnson 0, 1, 0.0, .000
Trench Player: Tayler Hill is a basketball goddess. I don't throw that term out very often.

BY THE NUMBERS
Minneapolis South 84, 81, 103.7, .506
Apple Valley 72, 79, 91.1, .418
Bench: MS 1, AV 1
made free throws: MS 21, AV 13
MS was more aggressive with attacking the basket and that hampered AV. Speed kills, but so does quickness. Even when AV was up the fouls were also piling up.

Next up Tomorrow with the rest of these games and also the updates on tournaments in ND, Nebraska, Illinois, and Wisconsin.